


press you to the pages of my heart

by mrsenjolras



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 06:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19267252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrsenjolras/pseuds/mrsenjolras
Summary: “He’s devised a plan to find the perfect suitor,” Niall says, laughing a bit. “It’s classic Haz, it is.”“What is it?” Liam asks.“He’s announced that if someone can open his front door with a key that he’s tied around his cat’s neck, he’ll marry them,” Louis answers. Liam raises an eyebrow.“Doesn’t seem too difficult,” he comments, sipping at his mead.“That’s the thing, though,” Niall says, and he’s laughing genuinely now, cheeks pink. “Harry’s trained that damn cat to never be caught.”[Or: Harry hatches a foolproof plan. Liam just tries to catch up.]





	press you to the pages of my heart

**Author's Note:**

> this is based off a tumblr post that i unfortunately cannot locate right now, but if anyone finds it pls let me know
> 
> thank you to tess for giving this a read through and for being the best generally, love u!!
> 
> and a big thank you to justine for being a great co-mod for this fest, and to all the authors/artists who have made it so great so far.
> 
> title comes from the song 'want you in my room' by carly rae jepsen

When Liam returns to his village, he’s not been home half an hour before Louis Tomlinson comes to take him down to the tavern to catch up over some of Niall Horan’s best mead. They sit down at the bar and Louis flags Niall down for two drinks. When Niall glances over, he immediately lights up and comes around the bar to give Liam a hug. 

“Liam Payne!” he shouts, his arms tight around Liam’s shoulders. “It’s been too long.” 

It has been far too long since Liam’s been back in the village he calls home. He’s been away as a soldier in the king’s army, but he’s given that up now and come back to take over his father’s smithing enterprise. His parents want more time to spend with the grandkids his sisters have given them, and Liam wants to help them. He’s glad to be home, to be with these friends he’s known his whole life. 

“Good to see you, Nialler,” he says, patting Niall on the back. Niall pulls back eventually, grinning at Liam and going off to get three tankards of mead. He shouts at Bressie to hold down the bar while he sits with Liam and Louis. 

“So, what’s new?” he asks, taking a pull from his drink. 

“I should be asking you,” Liam says, because he doesn’t like to talk much about what he’s seen as a soldier. It’s only bad memories and bloodshed down that road. He’d much rather hear about the happenings of the small village. 

“Well, Harry Styles has got everyone talking, as usual,” Louis chimes in. 

“Harry Styles?” Liam says, because he hadn’t thought about Harry in a while. They’d been friends, as children. All of them had--Liam, Harry, Louis, and Niall--they’d been known as troublemakers of the town, always running about and causing a ruckus. But slowly, Harry had grown apart a bit from the rest of them. At puberty, his features had grown more fine--beautiful, really--and soon enough half the town was trying to win his hand. His mum had become more protective over him, worried that someone would covet his beauty and his relative wealth a bit too much and go a step too far. The other boys had seen less of him after that. 

“He’s devised a plan to find the perfect suitor,” Niall says, laughing a bit. “It’s classic Haz, it is.” 

“What is it?” Liam asks. 

“He’s announced that if someone can open his front door with a key that he’s tied around his cat’s neck, he’ll marry them,” Louis answers. Liam raises an eyebrow. 

“Doesn’t seem too difficult,” he comments, sipping at his mead. 

“That’s the thing, though,” Niall says, and he’s laughing genuinely now, cheeks pink. “Harry’s trained that damn cat to never be caught.”

Liam laughs with him; he can’t not, when Niall’s laugh is so contagious. It is classic Harry, like Niall had said. Harry was always the most devious of them all, with the innocent smile that ensured he never got caught. It was a nearly lethal combination when they were kids, and it only got stronger over time. 

“Sounds like quite the task,” he says, smiling. “No one’s caught it yet, huh?” 

“I’ll be surprised if anyone ever does,” Louis says. “And I’m sure if it’s not someone Harry wants he’ll find some other way out of it.” 

They move onto other topics after that, catching Liam up on all the village gossip, but Liam doesn’t think any of it lives up to the news about Harry. When he goes home that night, he thinks of it again, and he laughs again. He wouldn’t expect anything less from Harry Styles.

*

The next day, Liam’s walking to the bakery to purchase some things for his mother when he hears someone call out behind him. “Liam Payne!” the voice says, and Liam turns around. 

Harry Styles is striding towards him, a large smile on his face. “Harry!” 

Harry walks up to him and pulls him into a warm hug. Liam hugs him back and doesn't think about how nice it feels, just like he never thought about it when they were younger. “I didn't know you were back in town,” Harry says, pulling back. 

“I just got back,” Liam replies, as he's said to most of the people who he'd seen in the last two days. 

“Well, we're glad to have you back,” Harry says. “We've missed you.” He means it, Liam knows, because Harry rarely, if ever, says something he doesn't mean. 

“I'm happy to be back,” Liam says, and then, searching for something else to say, he continues, “I've heard about your deal with the suitors and your cat, by the way. Pretty funny, making them all run around trying to catch it.”

“Ah,” Harry says, “that's just the thing, Liam. It's not about catching at all.” He winks at Liam, eyes sparkling, though Liam's not sure he quite understands. Harry says something else then, about needing to complete whatever errand he's on, and he leaves soon after that. 

Liam stands slightly bewildered in his wake, but then he remembers that that had often been the case in his conversations with Harry. He should probably get used to it again, now that he's back home for good. 

He shakes his head and continues on his way to the baker, still unsure what Harry exactly meant. 

*

Liam may be back at home for good now, but that doesn’t mean that his head isn’t still one of a soldier. He rarely sleeps through the night, haunted by the images and noises of battle--the clash of swords against each other, the sounds of men calling out in pain, the blood and the gore and the violence. He wants so badly to escape it, but he knows he’ll never be able to fully erase it from his memory. It’s part of him, now, left in scars both visible and invisible to others. 

It’s still dark out when Liam wakes from a dream-memory, long before the rooster is set to crow. He knows he won’t be able to sleep again, and the restless energy humming under his skin won’t go away until he’s done something to expel it.

He stands from his bed, pulling on some clothes and his boots before tiptoeing out the back door. His parents’ house has a small garden in the back, tomatoes and various root vegetables tended to by his mother. Just past the garden the land backs onto a forest, and Liam makes his way comfortably through the undergrowth. He’d spent hours upon hours out here as a child, learning all the plants and wildlife like the back of his hand. It’s changed somewhat since the last time he’d been there, but it’s still familiar enough that he can quickly make his way to his favorite spot, a clearing near a brook with soft grass and moss covering most of the ground. He sits down, leaning back against a tree, and closes his eyes for a moment, letting the sound of the water flowing through the brook soothe the last of his anxious nerves. 

He stays there for a while, listening to the sounds of nature. Suddenly, he feels eyes on him, though he hadn’t heard anything approaching. He opens his eyes slowly, trying not to tense or flinch too much in case whatever’s found him wants to attack him. These woods don’t house large predators, they’re too small for that, but Liam doesn’t want to chance it. When he does open his eyes, he looks across the clearing and sees a small black cat sitting on the other end, starting back at him with bright green eyes. 

Liam’s shoulders sag in relief, and he laughs at himself for worrying so much. He looks at the cat again, and sees that it’s head is tilted to the side, as though it’s unsure what Liam finds funny. “Hey, kitty,” Liam says, reaching a hand out to beckon it closer. The cat doesn’t move, though, still staring Liam down. Liam tries to beckon the cat again, making kissing noises, but the cat stays put. “Fine,” Liam says eventually, “whatever you want.” 

He and the cat stay like that for a while longer, Liam sitting against the tree and the cat watching him from across the clearing. Eventually, as the sky just starts to lighten and Liam starts thinking he might need to head back home, the cat turns and runs off. Liam watches it go, and he might be imagining, but he could’ve sworn he saw something gold glinting off its neck. 

*

Liam’s mostly forgotten about the cat by the time he’s doing afternoon errands the next day. He’d spent the morning in the smith, working with his father, and now his mother’s sent him to the market for some things for dinner. He spots Harry when he walks into the market, and he’s already walking towards him when he remembers. 

The cat. The hint of gold. Harry’s task for his suitors. 

It was _Harry’s_ cat. 

The thought stops him in his tracks, and he doesn’t even realize he’s stood in the middle of the market staring at Harry until Mrs. Whitaker nearly walks right into him and grumbles about him not moving out of the way. Harry looks up then, as Liam steps out of the way and apologizes. “Liam!” he says, much like he had when he’d last seen Liam in town. Liam smiles and walks toward him. 

“Hiya, Harry,” he says. He wonders for a moment if he should mention the cat, but then he decides against it. Harry’s his friend, and he doesn’t want to come off like he’s looking for something from him. “How’ve you been?” 

“Eh,” Harry says, shrugging, “same as always.”

Liam’s not quite sure what that means, since he’s been away too long to know what Harry’s _always_ looks like. He feels pleased, though, that he’ll be sticking around long enough to learn people’s routines again. 

“How are you?” Harry asks, interrupting Liam’s thoughts. “You look a bit tired.” 

“Oh, yeah,” Liam replies, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck. “Didn’t sleep all that well, and Dad had me working hard this morning.” 

Harry makes a humming noise, looking Liam up and down appraisingly. It reminds Liam a little of the way the cat had looked at him the night before, funnily enough. After a minute, Harry speaks again. “Would you like to have lunch with me?” 

“What?” Liam asks, surprised. 

“Lunch,” Harry repeats, holding up the loaf of bread he’s holding. Liam can see he’s got a basket as well, with some cheese and cured meats inside, and suddenly Liam’s stomach is growling. Harry laughs. “I’m taking that as a yes.” 

“I don’t want to impose--” Liam starts, but Harry cuts him off. 

“You’re not. I want you to have lunch with me. So let’s go,” he says, and then he hands the shopkeeper some coins and walks out of the market, indicating with his head that Liam should follow. Liam does, because he’s always been weak for Harry, ever since they were children together. 

Liam catches up to Harry just outside the market. “Where are we going?” he asks, though Harry only smiles at him and keeps walking. They walk together out past the outskirts of town, where the clustered shops turn into farmland with small cottages dotted along the road. They eventually come to a stop at the edges of the Watson farmstead. Harry settles down on a patch of grass and wildflowers, starting to pull the bread and cheeses out of the basket. Liam stands awkwardly for a minute until Harry looks up at him, squinting into the sun, and pats the ground next to him. “Sit, Liam,” he says, so Liam does. Soon after, Harry hands Liam a thick piece of bread piled with meat and cheese and with a layer of preserves on it as well. Liam takes a bite, making a pleased noise at the flavors. He’d gone a long while without good food, and a meal as simple as this tastes like it could be for a king. He eats it quickly, and then he blushes when he looks over and sees that Harry’s only taken a couple bites of his.

“Sorry,” Liam says sheepishly. Harry just smiles at him. 

“S’alright,” he says slowly. “You can make yourself another, if you want.” Liam does just that, and then he sits back to eat this one more leisurely, enjoying the soft sounds of nature around him and Harry beside him. 

They stay in companionable silence for a while, and eventually Harry lies back, folding his arms behind his head and turning to look at Liam. “So,” he says. 

“So?” Liam replies, when a beat passes and Harry doesn’t continue. 

“How are you finding life back in town?” Harry asks, but Liam has a sense that it wasn’t the question he was going to ask originally. 

“Well, it’s alright. Good to be with the family, see everybody again,” Liam says. Harry hums, looking away from Liam and looking up at the sky. Liam looks up as well, watching the clouds as they float slowly through the sky. 

“I can’t imagine what you saw, out there,” Harry says softly, after a few minutes. Liam turns to look at him and isn’t surprised to see Harry looking back steadily. Liam fights the urge to look away, to hide from Harry’s gaze. 

“I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,” Liam says, truthfully. “I’m really glad to be back.” 

“I wasn’t lying, the other day, when I said we’ve missed you. _I’ve_ missed you,” he says. It causes a warm feeling to rise in Liam’s stomach. 

“Thanks, mate,” he says. “I’ve missed you too.” 

“Good,” Harry says, a bit primly. It makes Liam laugh, breaks a little of the tension that he always feels when people ask him about his time as a soldier. 

“Well ask me again in a week,” Liam replies, “the answer might change.” 

“Heeey,” Harry drawls out, and Liam laughs again, happy to be with Harry and to be able to laugh like they did when they were kids. It reminds Liam of the life he had before he’d gone away, one where Harry and his smile were a constant. He wants to get back as much of that life as he can, despite all the time that’s passed. 

Liam and Harry spend the afternoon out there, talking and laughing. They walk back into town when the sun goes down, and Harry leaves Liam with another big hug, promising that they’ll do it again sometime. 

Despite the relaxing day, Liam still doesn’t sleep well that night. When he goes out on another midnight walk, the cat finds him again. It still doesn’t come to him when he reaches out, but it sits slightly closer than it had before. He laughs to himself, when he thinks about it--Harry watching over him in the day, Harry’s cat watching over him at night. 

He walks back home with a smile still on his face. 

*

Life goes on like that for a while. Liam goes to work with his father, spends time with the lads, struggles to sleep through the night, and does it all again the next day. He sees Harry more often than not, whether it’s a quick hello in passing or another picnic lunch while the weather is nice. 

Without fail, on the nights when Liam goes for a walk, Harry’s cat appears. It’s been moving slightly closer, but never enough for Liam to pet it. Never enough for Liam to reach for the key still hanging from its neck. 

About a month after Liam returns home, the town comes together for the yearly harvest festival. It’s the biggest event of the year, when everyone pitches in to make a giant feast and then carries on late into the night with dancing and general revelry. 

Liam arrives early with his parents, helping his mother carry her many plates of food into the giant tent that’s been put up in the middle of the town square. He gets shooed away from the food shortly after, and he runs out of the tent towards where his father is helping to set up wood for the bonfire that gets lit once the sun falls below the horizon. He’s not at it for long before he builds up a little sweat, carrying the heavy wood as the sun beats down, still high in the sky. After a while, he hears a whistle and turns around to see Louis and Niall grinning at him. 

“Looking good, Payno,” Louis says, teasing, and it’s then that Liam realizes there’s a bit of an audience watching. It’s mostly ladies from the village who are giggling to each other as they look at Liam’s arms, straining a bit under the log he’s holding. He quickly puts the wood down on top of the pile, flushing even more as he walks toward Louis and Niall, who are badly concealing their laughter. 

“Shut up,” he mutters when he reaches them. 

“S’alright, mate,” Niall says, smiling. “Nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a needed service you’re providing.” Liam rolls his eyes. 

“Come off it,” he says. He glances back over to where the ladies were standing and is pleased to find that most of them have moved on to other tasks. 

“I know your dance card will be full,” Louis says, “but to try to leave some space for us tonight, yeah?” Liam looks back at Louis with a grin on his face. 

“Oh, Tommo, don’t get jealous,” he teases. “You know you’re the only one for me.” 

Louis rolls his eyes and reaches out to twist Liam’s nipple through his shirt, but there’s a pleased look in his eyes when he pulls away and suggests they grab some mead from one of the barrels that Niall’s brought from the tavern. 

Liam sticks with Louis and Niall for most of the festival, eating and drinking and laughing with them. Once the band starts going and people clear the square for dancing, Louis’ prediction was right--Liam dances a few with Sophia Smith, twirls his sisters and his mum around the dance floor, and he even dances with Lou Teasdale’s young daughter, letting her stand on his feet. It’s all rather exhausting, and as soon as he gets a break he drops down at a table with Niall, who pats him on the shoulder. 

“Harry’s here,” he says, “and he’s been watching you for the last three songs.” Liam looks to where Niall nods his head, and sure enough, Harry’s standing with his mum and sister, looking right back at Liam. He smiles when he meets Liam’s eyes, and raises his hand in a small wave. Liam waves back, ignoring the snort that Niall lets out next to him. 

Liam wonders if he should go over, talk to Harry, maybe even ask him to dance, but before he can someone else approaches Harry. Liam can’t really see who it is, as they’re mostly stood in shadow, but whatever they say to Harry makes the smile drop from his face. Liam’s already mostly out of his chair, ready to go over and tell the person off, but then he sees Anne step in. She’s frowning, and she says something that makes the other person back off immediately. Liam sits back in his chair, sensing that Anne wasn’t going to let anyone else near her son for a while. 

He turns to Niall, who looks to have been watching the scene as well, and asks, “is it always like that?” 

Niall shrugs. “Sometimes, I guess. Anne’s always been protective, you know, but most people have backed off since Harry started his whole thing with the cat. They’re all too busy running through the woods trying to trap it to talk to Harry.” 

Liam stiffens, a bit, at the mention of Harry’s cat. He hadn’t really thought about the fact that there were probably many people trying to track down the cat, while it was spending nearly every night keeping Liam company in the woods. He doesn’t like the sound of people setting traps, trying to harm the cat in order to get to Harry. He remembers Harry’s words from the first day he’d seen him in town, _it’s not about catching at all_ , and something begins to come together in his brain. 

“Liam?” Niall asks, and Liam realizes he must have been silent for a while, thinking about Harry and the cat and the key. “You alright, mate?” 

“Of course,” Liam says easily, filing away his thoughts to return to later. “Want another drink?” 

“Have you forgotten who I am?” Niall asks, and Liam laughs. 

They get through another drink before Niall sits up a bit, looking over Liam’s shoulder. When Liam turns to see what he’s looking at, he sees Harry approaching them. “Hiya,” Harry says when he gets to them, nodding at them both. 

“Hey, Harry,” Liam says, and Niall echoes him. 

Harry smiles a bit wider, biting at his bottom lip as he reaches a hand out to Liam. “Li, would you like to dance?” 

Liam’s a bit surprised, and he probably looks like an idiot with his mouth hanging open, but then Niall elbows him in the side. “Oh! Um, yeah, of course,” he says, standing and taking Harry’s hand. Harry’s smile is like the sun, and Liam’s a bit dumbfounded in the face of it, even as he hears Niall’s laugh behind them. Harry pulls him onto the dance floor just as the song shifts from an upbeat jig to something slower. The look on Harry’s face tells Liam he’s not surprised by this. He places his hands on Harry’s waist as Harry wraps his arms around Liam’s neck. 

“I hope you’re not too tired from everyone else,” Harry says softly. “I was wondering if I was even going to get the chance to dance with you.” 

“I could never be too tired for you, Hazza,” Liam says, and he pulls Harry a bit closer as another couple moves by them. “I didn’t think you would want to dance with anyone,” he adds on, because he knows this is the first dance Harry’s participated in all night, and he can feel the jealous stares of many people in the crowd. 

“Just you,” Harry says, leaning his head against Liam’s shoulder. They don’t say any more after that, swaying to the music until the song comes to an end. Liam pulls back from Harry slowly, not wanting to lose the warmth of the other man pressed against him. Harry smiles at him when they part, a soft smile that Liam’s rarely seen on Harry’s face. “Thanks, Liam,” he says, and he brings one hand up to cup Liam’s cheek. Liam’s heart starts to race as Harry pulls his face close, thinking for one heart-stopping moment that Harry will kiss him. Harry presses his lips to Liam’s cheek, though, and lets them linger for a moment before pulling back with that same smile on his face. “I’ll see you later,” he promises, and then he’s gone, leaving Liam stunned, still standing in the middle of the dance floor. 

*

When Liam gets home, he barely even pauses before he walks out the back and into the forest. He stops in his clearing, and he sits to wait. It doesn’t take long until the cat shows up. Liam looks over at it and sighs, bringing a hand up to his cheek. His fingers brush against the spot where Harry had kissed him before, and at nearly the same time the cat lets out a loud purr. 

Liam looks at the cat, and the cat looks back. “You know,” Liam says, “I would really like that key around your neck.” The cat doesn’t move. It’s close enough that Liam could probably grab it before it could run off, but he doesn’t want to do that. “I’m not going to take it from you,” he tells the cat, “not unless you want me to.” 

The cat stays quiet, because it’s a cat. Liam laughs to himself, lets his head fall back against the tree he’s leaning against. “I wish you could understand me,” he whispers. 

He stands a few minutes later and starts to walk back home. The cat meows when he stands, and Liam turns to look back at it. It still doesn’t move closer, but it meows one more time before turning and darting off into the forest. Liam shakes his head and walks home alone. 

*

Nearly another month passes with little change, other than Liam’s growing feelings for Harry. If he really thinks about it, he knows these didn’t come out of nowhere. He’d always fancied Harry a bit, even when they were kids. He’d never acted on it, first because he was too scared to ruin their friendship, and then because he didn’t want someone waiting on him while he was fighting. He supposed he has always carried a bit of a torch for Harry, even when he was away, though he’d buried it deep so it would be less painful when he inevitably found out Harry was taken. 

Harry decidedly _isn’t_ taken, and he has also apparently decided to spend as much of his free time as possible with Liam. He shows up at the smith to watch Liam work, usually bringing some sort of snack with him to give Liam on his break. They still have their lunches together at least once a week, though they’ve moved from picnics to eating at Niall’s to take cover from the colder weather rolling in. Harry has dinner with Liam’s family, and Liam goes to Harry’s for a meal with Anne and Gemma. If Liam didn’t know any better, it would feel like a courting. 

Louis and Niall seem convinced that it _is_ a courting, based on their non-stop teasing whenever they catch Liam alone. Liam denies it every time, because if Harry really wanted him, he would tell his cat to let Liam get the key from around its neck. Instead, Liam’s barely seen the cat since the night after the festival, even though he’s returned to the clearing several times. 

He goes back now more out of habit than necessity. His nightmares have become much less frequent now that he’s living a more normal life. He’s also been having more and more dreams about Harry, which make him wake up in a sweat for a different reason. After one such dream, he can’t quite get back to sleep, and he decides on a walk. It’s closer to dawn than midnight, now, the sky getting lighter by the minute. The first rays of sun are peeking over the horizon when Liam reaches his clearing, and he’s surprised to see Harry’s cat lying in the middle, soaking up some sun. 

“Hi there, kitty,” he says, not wanting to scare it away. He takes a step closer, but the cat doesn’t move, just stays in its stretched out position. This is the most vulnerable Liam’s seen the cat--it usually stays around the edges of the clearing, always alert. 

Liam moves as close as he’s ever gotten to the cat, and still the cat stays where it is. When he’s within arm’s reach, his heart starts to beat quickly. He reaches a tentative hand out to pet the cat, and when the cat lets him, he lets out a shaky laugh. “Holy shit,” he mutters. The cat purrs. 

He pets the cat for a while, not wanting to push his luck, but then the cat rolls over, and Liam can see the key right there. He reaches for it cautiously, but the cat just keeps purring. He carefully unlatches the key from the collar, and he wonders for a second if he’s still dreaming as the metal touches his hand. 

The cat stands then, abruptly, and starts to walk out of the clearing. At the edge, it stops, looking back at Liam as if to tell him to follow. He does, still staring dumbfoundedly at the key in the palm of his hand. 

The cat walks out of the forest, up to the main road of the village. Liam follows it, glad that it’s still early enough that people aren’t out to watch as he follows a cat down the street. The cat comes to a stop, eventually, in front of Harry’s door, and then it meows at him expectantly until he pushes the key into the lock and unlocks the door. 

The door swings open, and Liam steps into Harry’s house. He’s been there before, obviously, but it feels empty now, and he can’t help but sense that he’s intruding. The cat, on the other hand, runs right into Harry’s bedroom. Liam stands awkwardly in the doorway for a few more minutes before Harry comes out of his room. 

He sees Liam standing there, key still in his hand, and he breaks out in a wide smile. “Hello, Liam.”

“Hi, Harry,” Liam replies. He takes a step closer. “You don’t seem surprised to see me.”

“I hoped you’d figure it out,” Harry replies. “I wanted it to be you.” 

“The cat--” Liam starts, but then he pauses. He’d only ever seen the cat at night, and only ever in the forest. Never in town, never in Harry’s house. Never actually _with_ Harry. “Where’s the cat?” he asks now, because it hasn’t reappeared from Harry’s bedroom. 

Harry smiles again. “Liam, where do you think the cat is?” 

“Are--are _you_ the cat?” Liam says, even though he feels ridiculous. Harry takes another step closer, reaching an arm out to grab Liam’s hand. 

“Yup,” he says, and then he laughs at whatever expression has appeared on Liam’s face. “Liam, I never told you--or anyone, really--but I’m a bit magic,” he explains. “It started to manifest when we were teenagers, that’s why my mum got more protective over me. She didn’t want people to find out, to be able to exploit my powers.”

“You--what--magic?” Liam stutters out. Harry’s thumb sweeps across the back of his hand comfortingly. 

“I know, I know, it’s a lot. I wanted to tell you, you know, when we were kids even. I always trusted you, but my mum told me not to, and then you were gone, and I wasn’t--I didn’t know if you would come back.” Harry looks down, then back up at Liam, biting his lips. “I was really, really happy when you came back.” 

“I fancied you,” Liam blurts out. “I never told you, because I didn’t want to mess things up, but, yeah.”

“I fancied you, too,” Harry says, still grinning at Liam.

“And the cat--I mean, you--you gave me the key.”

“Yes.” 

“Which means--” Liam breaks off. He doesn’t want to assume anything with Harry, doesn’t want to think that because Harry set this challenge months ago he still wants to be held to it. 

“It means we’re betrothed,” Harry says, wrinkling his nose up. “But that sounds quite boring, so I reckon you should just kiss me instead.” 

Liam decides to do just that. He tugs Harry even closer, until barely an inch separates their mouths. Then he leans in, like he’s been wanting to do since the harvest festival, and presses his lips to Harry’s. Harry kisses him back immediately, and the kiss is soft and sweet with just enough heat behind it. It’s everything Liam’s been dreaming of. 

He pulls back after a bit, smiles when Harry makes a protesting noise and tries to follow him. “Haz,” he whispers. Harry opens his eyes, stares right back into Liam’s. “Are you sure?” 

“Don’t be stupid,” Harry says, and he pulls Liam into another kiss. 

*

Liam found the key, but that didn’t mean they got married immediately. Harry had made that clear--that he’d chosen to give Liam the key because he knew he wouldn’t abuse it. He trusted Liam, and Liam trusted him in turn. 

They dated instead, and then Liam moved out of his parent’s house into Harry’s, and then when he couldn’t wait any longer, Liam asked Harry to marry him. Harry responded with a _finally_ that made Liam laugh long and hard. 

And that’s how they got here, nearly two and a half years after Liam came home for good. It’s a beautiful day, not unlike the one on which they shared their first picnic. Liam stands at an altar and pledges himself entirely to Harry, and Harry responds in kind. Their first kiss as a married couple feels just as wonderful as all their other ones (once, Liam had asked if their kisses were so amazing because Harry was magic, and Harry had laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks). 

In all, it goes up in Liam’s list of best days, along with the day Harry gave him the key ( _to my heart_ , Harry always says, though Liam thinks that’s terribly cheesy). The reception is a large affair, with almost the whole town there to give them their well wishes. Liam knows there’s not a small number gazing at him with jealousy, but he doesn’t care. They should be jealous, because Harry is magical in every sense of the word, and Liam gets to enjoy that for the rest of his life. 

At the reception, a man Liam doesn’t know very well approaches him. His name is Benjamin, and Liam knows he had attempted to court Harry, before Harry chose Liam. He congratulates Liam with a smile that has an edge to it Liam doesn’t quite like. “So,” he says, “you’ve caught the prize, eh?”

Liam glances over to where Harry stands, speaking to some other guests. Harry looks up as thought he can sense Liam’s eyes on him, and he smiles what Liam’s come to think of as _his_ smile. It’s soft and lovely and only meant for him. Liam smiles back at Harry, and then turns toward Benjamin. 

“Oh, it was never about catching,” he says, and then he goes to dance with his husband.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr [ here](http://foliealou.tumblr.com/) and the fic post [ here](https://foliealou.tumblr.com/post/185681451456/press-you-to-the-pages-of-my-heart-hes-devised-a)


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